Last week we talked about the importance of unplugging in this hectic world and brought you some of the best new freestanding tubs available for a good, hot soak. An even more important factor in your health and happiness is a good night’s sleep. Have you ever watch your pets plop down in a slice of sunshine, twist in some crazy contortion, and fall blissfully asleep as if that were most comfortable spot on earth? Ah, it be wonderful if truly restful sleep were that easy for us!

Restorative sleep (or any sleep at all) is a bit harder for us mere humans. Bedroom design can play an important role in achieving those essential hours of shut-eye. Read on for a guest article from the experts at Tuck Sleep with tips on designing your bedroom for a better sleep:

Skip the Rules and Design a Bedroom for Better Sleep

Design rules are there to enhance the look and appeal of a room, but sometimes they can get in the way of the room’s purpose. The bedroom needs to be your sleep sanctuary so you can get the full seven to eight hours of sleep you need to function at your best. It should be inviting, comfortable, and restful. With those design qualities in mind, you can incorporate elements that speak to your personal tastes and create your bedroom getaway.

Bring Nature Indoors

The color green has long been associated with a calm, relaxing atmosphere. Nowhere else do you see that more than in nature. Bringing natural elements into your bedroom can help it feel connected with the outdoors, but it’s free of bugs, rain, and more irritating natural occurrences. You don’t need to paint the room green, but use the color through plants or accessories.

Houseplants like lavender and jasmine both give off scents known to cause a sense of relaxation. If you’re looking to improve the air quality in your bedroom, the snake plant releases oxygen at night when you need it most.

Live plants aren’t necessary to bring nature into your home. Raw wood planks on a wall, a tree stump transformed into a nightstand, or even photos of nature are enough to evoke calm in the mind and body. Incorporating these elements into your design can bring the sense of Zen you need to release stress after a long day.

Use Lighting Carefully

Light plays a pivotal role in the quality of your sleep. In fact, the body’s sleep-wake cycle is largely determined by exposure to sunlight. To keep your body’s natural cycles functioning correctly, you need to keep your bedroom dark at night. Blackout curtains or heavy drapes with blinds might be necessary to thwart light pollution or a bright moon, from disturbing your sleep.

Light bulbs can impact your sleep as well. High-efficiency LED lights with their blue lights are similar enough to daylight to trick the brain into thinking it’s time to be awake. Keep these bulbs out of the bedroom and put them somewhere like an office or study area where daytime activities take place. Instead, opt for traditional incandescent bulbs that don’t affect your sleep. The light from a television or smartphone can have a similar effect on the brain. If at all possible, leave screens out of the bedroom.

Decorate for Comfort

Bedroom decor should be functional and attractive. Your body temperature changes during sleep. It drops as you enter the deep levels of REM sleep and rises towards morning when it’s time to wake up. Not only should you turn the temperature down at night, but try to use a bedspread that’s appropriate for the season.

Your bed, whether a fancy canopy bed or an air mattress, should be inviting and cozy. You can also add textiles to create the atmosphere you want. Rugs, plush throws, and pillows add warmth to the room while also absorbing sound. Keeping those echoes down makes the room feel more inviting and intimate and also prevents premature waking.

Tuck Sleep is a community devoted to improving sleep hygiene, health and wellness through the creation and dissemination of comprehensive, unbiased, free web-based resources. Visit their website or facebook page for more information.

Our special thanks to our friends at Tuck Sleep for these great tips. Sweet dreams everyone!

So much to do to stage a home for sale! Last week we shared tips on The Big Stuff which covered topics such as curb appeal, cleaning, decluttering and depersonalizing. Now let’s dig into the details.

After you’ve finished cleaning and storing, Theresa “Terry” Anderson of KoenigRubloff offers this advice: “There are some easy tricks to refresh a house, such as putting in new light fixtures, new faucets, paint a few rooms, and take down all wallpaper. I suggest a very minimal amount of furnishings and décor.” (You can email Terry at terryanderson@koenigrubloff.com or find her on Facebook by clicking here.)

Remember to check the latest Zillow report for paint colors that are currently selling for significantly higher (or lower) than average in each room and see our pinterest board for examples. Discuss the report with your realtor to determine what is best in your particular area.

Here are some other room-by-room expert tips we’ve collected for you:

Bedrooms
The key in the master bedroom is to stay gender neutral. You want the decor to appeal to everyone. Keep décor minimal but try to create a relaxing atmosphere where people can imagine unwinding. Create a bed people would want to crawl into, all soft and comfortable looking, and a small sitting area for reading or watching TV.

Catherine Schager Designs, Lake Forest Master Bedroom

Bathrooms
Try to restore bathrooms to an unused look. (Nothing says “yuck” like a strangers mystery bathroom mess.) Fix all leaky toilets and dripping faucets. Replace old toilet seats with new ones. Do your best to remove hard water stains that will make potential buyers think of leaks. (Try vinegar.) Deodorize the drains too. Keep counters clear except for a pretty soap dispenser and neutral colored shower curtain and bath mat.

“Master” Touches
Remember those closets we discussed in Part 1? Storage space sells, especially in the master bedroom. One trick is to clear the master closet out completely, then hang a set of classy wooden hangers. Entice potential buyers to love the master bath by arranging a set of new fluffy white towels in ready-to-use fashion and topped with something pretty. Set the “spa” stage to help them imagine luxuriating in a hot bath or shower.

Family Living Areas
Keep only beautiful furniture on display and keep it neutral. You want potential buyers to imagine their own furniture in the room, not get stuck on your style. You don’t want them feeling like an intruder in YOUR space. Let them imagine it as THEIR space.

Create symmetrical but inviting arrangements that suggest conversations and family time. Arrange a board game or a tea service on the coffee table. Place a book or magazine next to a comfortable chair with a soft throw. Once again, keep it gender neutral and tailored, but oh-so-comfy looking. You don’t want the realtor to have to say “Imagine this…” while describing a scene. Instead, set the room to create those visions wordlessly.

Kitchen and Dining
You won’t want to invest in major upgrades, but it’s worth it to fix leaky faucets, replace dated ones, and remove hard water stains. Consider painting dated cabinets and updating the hardware. Brighten up a poorly lit kitchen with new light fixtures. Choose the highest wattage bulbs for the fixtures and open up all the curtains and blinds. A light, bright kitchen sells better than a dark, dreary one. Lighter colors on the walls can help reflect the light. Keep countertops clear except two or three carefully chosen decorative items. Keep lots of empty space in the cabinets and drawers, and keep them well organized. Kitchen organization is big lately. Consider a few specialty foods in pretty packaging arranged just so in the pantry. Set the dining room table with carefully chosen, lovely yet neutral items (like a pretty tea set). Leave out a delicious looking and smelling pastry or cake on a pretty tray in the kitchen and have the realtor suggest they sit and have a treat in the space.

Catherine Schager Designs, Northbrook Kitchen

Catherine Schager Designs, Glenview Renovations

Defined Purpose
Make sure you don’t have any confusing “extra” rooms and absolutely no junk rooms. If you have an undefined space, give it a purpose. An office is usually a good bet but keep it neutral and classy. Bookshelves should be mostly empty with only a few neutral items on display. Storage space should invite them peek inside and see it empty, evoking thoughts of their own things they could store in that spot. A private, cozy reading spot nook near a set of beautiful bookshelves is always inviting.

Catherine Schager Designs, Northbrook Office

Good luck! Overall, remember to keep it gender neutral, style neutral, as empty as possible, spotlessly clean, and create carefully chosen scenes to evoke images in each space.

If you have a home to sell, you’re likely anxious to get a good offer in a quick timeframe. We’ve collected some expert staging tips to help present a home that buyers will fall in love with at first sight.

Scott Rose of Baird & Warner, tells sellers to shine the apple! Scott says, “We are in a price war and a beauty contest. Declutter and make it look like a model. Remember that in most cases a home is worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it and what a bank is willing to loan (unless it’s all cash!).” (You can email Scott at scott.rose@bairdwarner.com, visit his website at ScottRoseHomes.com, or @ScottRoseHomes on Facebook.)

The beauty contest starts with curb appeal. First impressions are CRUCIAL. Many buyers will opt out of doing a walk-through on a house based simply on a poor outside presentation, so start your staging process at the curb. Replace your old mailbox with a pretty new one. Cut the grass, trim the bushes, weed flower beds, and add fresh mulch. Power wash your decks, walks, and patios. Repaint your front door (according to this 2017 Zillow report, homes with navy blue, dark gray, or charcoal front doors sell for more money) and add large, attractive house numbers that can be clearly seen from the street and look welcoming. If you need to paint the siding, consider gray, brown, or greige, as suggested by Zillow. If paint isn’t necessary, wash the siding and the windows until they sparkle. Clean your front porch and add welcoming touches like seasonal flowers in planters and hanging baskets, a pretty doormat, and a new doorbell with attractive sound.

The first step to staging the interior of your home for sale is to clean, clean, clean. Spit shine every single surface, corner, wall, ceiling, and floor. Clean cabinets and drawers, inside and out. Clean the grout, the faucets, and the globes on light fixtures. Clean furniture even though it won’t stay with the home, and clean underneath it too. Consider hiring a professional cleaning service to handle this time-consuming, exhausting chore for you.

Next, de-clutter, de-personalize, and paint. Experts suggest that you rent a storage unit and pack and move a good deal of your belongings before your first showing. Now is the time to get serious about removing every trace of clutter, and absolutely DO NOT shove that clutter into cabinets and closets. Potential buyers will be looking in there! Remove ALL personal photographs, diplomas, memorabilia, and collectibles. Choose only a few, neutral decorative elements. Remember, you want potential buyers to visualize themselves in your home. If they can’t see past your style and your décor, they won’t be able to see themselves in the space. Aim for lived-in but neutral. Have your realtor help you pick a few key pieces of furniture and store the rest. Give all the walls and trim a fresh coat of paint at minimum (and perhaps cabinets too if needed). Refer to the Zillow report and our pinterest board Colors That Sell for suggestions on paint colors for specific rooms.

Next, tackle every closet, cabinet, pantry, bookcase and storage area. Any items you don’t need to store for your next home can be picked up by a junk hauling specialists. There are several. One I like and use is Junk King. Storage is a big selling point so you want to be sure you show your home’s storage to best advantage. Keep a few, carefully chosen items in each storage area in an organized, attractive arrangement. Leave lots of “white space” between items. Consider items like fancy jams and other upscale condiments in pretty packaging to display on shelves.

Even if they are tiny, your pets definitely qualify under “the big stuff” in home prep. You need to remove any hint of any animal from your home. You don’t want potential buyers thinking about all the hidden damage your adorable fur babies might have caused to your home. Remove all furniture and rugs with pet damage, and all trace of pet odors and pet fur (or feathers or scales). When you leave before a viewing, take your pets and all their gear with you. Don’t leave pet dishes, pet beds, or pet toys behind to make potential buyers think of potential problems.

Stay tuned next week for Part 2: The Details, where we will talk about what works (and doesn’t) for each room.

You’ve been dreaming about finding your perfect home for a long time and you’re finally ready. Congrats! Now it’s time to start the search process. If you go into it prepared, you’ll find it less stressful. Here are some tips to help you on your way:

Make Detailed Lists

Yes, please!

First, make a list of your needs and your wants. (Yes, those are different, so mark each item as to whether it is a WANT or a NEED.) Consider layout, space, style, lot size, neighborhood, and special features (like large windows with a lake view). Scott Rose of Baird & Warner Real Estate told us this: “I always ask buyers what is important to them, i.e. schools, close to work, close to family, community activities, or being close to highways if they go downtown a lot.”

Pro tip: Always consider school districts even if you have no children and no plans to have any. A home in a high-rated school district is likely to sell faster later and more like to increase in property value.

Click here for a more in depth list of questions from Zillow to dig deeper.

Absolutely not!

Next, make a list of what would make you nuts over time. Be honest. You need to keep those items firmly in mind if you find a house you love that also has items on your “absolutely not” list. Are stairs a deal-breaker? Don’t even look at homes with stairs. Don’t fall in love with a house that has a feature that will ultimately make you unhappy. Same with your budget – don’t torture yourself with beautiful homes you can’t comfortably afford. Don’t even look at homes outside your budget.

Prioritize and Compromise
Prioritize your needs and wants, then prepare to compromise. It’s unlikely you will find a home that meets absolutely all of the items on your list, so go into the search process knowing you will need to make some compromises.

Be sure to consider your most lived-in spaces. If you love to cook, a high-end kitchen should be higher on your priority list. If you spend hours watching movies, the living room will be more important. If you work from home, a fabulous office space will be high on your list.

Outside the Box Viewing
Once you find a home you think could be the one, do some outside-the-box scouting around. Consider what’s next door – but also what could be next door down the road. Really analyze the neighborhood, neighbors, stores, parks, traffic, and changes that might be in the works in the near future. Try this list of questions to consider from Zillow.

View the home at different times of the day. Even if you can’t do another walk-through, it’s worth standing across the street and listening to the noises at night, or making the drive from that home to your office at drive time in the morning. Visit on weekends and during the week. This can cut down on surprises (like super loud neighbors) when it is too late.

Try Houzz
If you haven’t already, sign up for Houzz. You can make ideabooks with images of homes you love from every angle to help your realtor understand your perfect home. Houzz is a wonderful tool to help you organize your needs and wants and to communicate them to the pros.

Many of my clients these days are down-sizing their homes. Maybe they’ve decided that the home they’ve raised their family in is now just too large for the two of them. Maybe they’re moving to a retirement complex, or assisted living. Whatever the reason, down-sizing can be challenging (but it doesn’t have to be!) Clients will generally tell me that they need my help because they don’t know what will fit in their new home, or how to arrange the furniture, or what they’ll need to rid themselves of.

In these cases I recommend that clients do 3 things:

1. Go through their home, and determine what pieces of their existing furniture they really love and which ones they could give away, donate to charity, or just chuck.

2. Consider how they will be living in their new space (will they be doing any entertaining or having overnight guests?) and make some notes.

3. Call me to see their existing space and favorite items. Then we take a look at their new home and determine together what will serve them well. I will often create floor plans so that when they move in, they can have the movers put everything in its place.

Although moving and down-sizing can be very stressful, it’s also a great opportunity to consider just what “stuff” is really meaningful and what can be let go of. It can be a very freeing feeling and offers clients a fresh start. A recent client was so excited that she’d be able to keep many of the upholstered items she thought she’d have to get rid of and loved how with the addition of some new pillows and rug her pieces got a new look!

Who needs a special occasion for a summer get-together? Good friends, good food and good weather are reason enough! No need to stress over the details though. Just relax and let it flow together, easy as a summer breeze. This time it’s all about having fun. Here are some ways to keep is simple and stress-free.

Spread Out
Instead of worrying about table space for everyone, just plan on allowing guests to eat in lawn chairs, lounge chairs, or picnic style. Use area rugs or picnic blankets and cushions to turn the yard into the best seat in the house. Bring out the picnic baskets (or borrow from friends) and tuck special treats inside for guests to find. Doesn’t this make you want to pile on cushions and dig through the basket?

cushions from Hayneedle, basket from Wayfair

Simple Fare
Try to make foods that can be eaten one handed. This allows people to eat while standing or balancing food in their laps from lawn chairs or blankets. Ditch recipes that require cutting food with a knife – save the steaks for smaller, fancier gatherings. Think picnic fare and your guests will find eating to be a breeze.

Party on Wheels
Roll out bar carts, kitchen carts, kids wagons and lawn carts for mobile food and drink stands. They are super easy to roll back into the house to restock and relocate around the yard as needed. Encourage guests to mingle by scattering drinks by one seating area and desserts by another.

bar cart from Pottery Barn, yard cart from Home Depot

Now download a playlist from the summers you were young and carefree and I’ll bet everyone will be singing and dancing to the memories. Check out some more ideas on our pinterest board. Happy summer!

The 2017 Colors of the Year have all been announced and they offer the promise of bold, vibrant shades and depth of layers. Here is the lineup:

An interesting mix capturing an array of moods: light and calming, dramatic and intense, bright and hopeful, and timeless and earthy. Yet they can all work together in a cohesive palette should you choose to incorporate them all into your color scheme. Let’s check out the breakdown from the color experts.

Pantone “Greenery”The Pantone Color Institute describes their yellow-green, spring shade as refreshing and revitalizing shade, symbolic of new beginnings. Meant to evoke those early spring days when nature is waking and awash in bright green, it signals a reset, hope, and life.

Benjamin Moore “Shadow”The experts at Benjamin Moore named their dramatic purple selection “Shadow” because of their fascination with how it changes hue as the light changes throughout the day. It’s a rich, royal amethyst they describe as allusive and enigmatic.

Benjamin Moore Shadow Wall Color

Anna New York Amethyst Bowl

Rachel Ray Dinnerware from Bed, Bath and Beyond

Cambria USA countertop “Williston”

Calvin Klein Bedding from Bonton

Amethyst Bath Tub by Baldi of Florence, Italy

Sherwin Williams “Poised Taupe”Sherwin William’s “Poised Taupe” is a marriage between conservative gray and earthen beige to create a “weathered, woodsy and complex neutral that celebrates the imperfections and authenticity of a well-lived life.” Both warm and cool, classic and modern, it is meant to be an organic, balanced neutral.

Sherwin Williams “Poised Taupe” Wall

Vannaire Tile in Premiere Taupe from Mohawk Flooring

Kahla Pronto Dinnerware from porzellantreff.de

Allen Braithwaite Wallpaper

Glidden Paints “Byzantine Blue”Glidden Paints named a mystic purple-blue shade meant to be comforting and soothing, playful yet peaceful. The describe “Byzantine Blue” as a gender-neutral “purple in disguise” with all the best qualities of blue and gray. It morphs from hue to hue depending on what you partner shades you select.

Byzantine Blue Walls by Glidden

Pratt and Larson Tile

Soft Floral Wallpaper by Seabrook WallCoverings from Burke Decor

Olympic Paints “Cloudberry”Olympic Paints chose a soothing, lavender-purple the dubbed “Cloudberry” intended to be soothing, encourage meditation, and transform you space into a sanctuary. Cloudberry will float you away on a cloud to carefree, airy spaces.

Samuel and Sons Tiebacks

Imperial Gardens Chinoiserie Panels by Mural Sources

Teleflora Lavender Chiffon Bouquet

Anna New York Kivita Platters and Coasters

Lotus Flower Wallpaper by Farrow and Ball

Plum Goose Amethyst Bowl

PPG Pittsburgh Paints “Violet Verbena”PPG Pittsburgh Paints selected a moody, gray-purple they describe as playful, elegant and calming. “Violet Verbena” is expected to appeal to those seeking the popular bohemian look as well as those looking to create luxurious, pampering spaces. It finds a middle ground between masculine and feminine, young and old, work and play.

Purple Quilt from Joss and Main

Oxford Wallpaper by Graham Brown from Burke Decor

Faberware Purple Cookware from Joss and Main

What do you think of the biggest colors predicted for 2017? Check out our pinterest board for even more Color of the Year images.

Whether your dinner will be casual or formal, or style your is contemporary, rustic or traditional, we all want to that perfect Thanksgiving table setting for our loved ones to enjoy. Here are some simple tips to help you create the atmosphere you desire without fuss and frustration.

Remembering the Basics
In today’s rush-around world, most of us don’t set the table with all trimmings very often. Here’s a quick chart from Elegant Woman to help you remember the basics for a full place setting:

The napkin can go to the left of the forks or on the plate. And when the table gets crowded and you can’t remember which bread plate or drink glass is yours, don’t feel bad. Emily Post had trouble remembering too. Here’s her trick to remember. Touch the tips of your thumbs and forefingers together with other fingers extended, forming a lowercase “b” with your left hand and “d” with your right hand. The “b” is for bread which is on the left and the “d” is for drink which is on right.

The Centerpiece
The turkey and all the trimmings are meant to take center stage, so no need to get fussy about an elaborately decorated table. That said, it is fun to create an autumn atmosphere for you guests while they wait for the food to be served. That’s simple to accomplish with seasonal floral arrangements, candles, pumpkins and gourds, or other natural elements like pine cones or acorns. These metal lanterns from Crate and Barrel would look lovely with autumn leaves and decorative pumpkins arranged in between. These pretty holiday hurricanes would blend with either Thanksgiving or Christmas décor. Just change out the candles to match. Or this whimsical fruit turkey from 1-800-flowers would likely appeal to youngsters at the table. Your favorite table runner with a simple centerpiece is perfect.

Crate and Barrel

Monticello Shop

1-800-flowers

The Place Settings
The holidays are the perfect time to have fun with your place settings. Create visual layers with your dishes, napkins and place cards. Don’t be afraid to mix colors, mix shapes and mix textures. This place setting from HGTV using neutral shades and similar shapes for a soft look with a fun twist on the place card. The place setting from House Beautiful mixes in lots of textures with the place mats, napkin rings and scalloped charger. The place setting from Stone Gable creates a lot of visual interest with bold autumn colors and varied shapes. Just have fun with it!

HGTV Place Setting

House Beautiful Place Setting

Stone Gable Place Setting

Check out our pinterest board for more inspiring ideas for your Thanksgiving table. What is your theme this year? We’d love to see your photos! Tag us on facebook with @catherineschagerdesigns.

It’s almost that wonderful time again, when our homes will be filled with loved ones visiting for the holidays. Many of us preparing for overnight guests will be struggling with how to provide the perfect haven of hotel-like comfort when we have limited guest room space. No need to panic. Just remember these basics and your guests will feel right at home:

A comfortable place to sleep is the number one priority. If you can provide a good quality mattress with a variety of pillow and blanket choices for your tired guests, you will be a champion hostess to most overnight guests.

Multi-purpose furniture and a little creativity will allow you to provide more guestroom amenities in small spaces. A small table and chair against the wall near the bed with a mirror hung at the proper height becomes a nightstand, a vanity, and a desk all in one. A wall-mounted swing-arm lamp can serve as nightstand lamp, desk lamp and vanity lighting for your multi-tasking table. A chest at the end of the bed can serve as bedding storage, a place for excess pillows to be tossed at night, a place to sit, and a luggage rack.

Keep extra throws available in your living room and if you don’t have enough seating, it’s a good time to add a couple poufs or ottomans so everyone can snuggle in for a cozy visit.

Faux Mohair Throws from Pottery Barn

Ottoman from Crate and Barrel

Pouf from Target

Make room in your entryway for guests to offload their bulky outerwear so they don’t have to pile them up in small guest quarters. Temporarily move some of your less often used items to other corners of the house to free up space if your coat closet is packed full.

Make sure your outdoor lights are working and replace any burned out bulbs so your guests can easily find their way after dark. You might even string up some twinkle lights for illumination. Searching for the door of an unfamiliar home after dark can make even seasoned travelers feel unsafe. Provide plenty of light and you will create welcoming atmosphere right from the start.

The kids are back to school and likely bringing home backpacks full of homework. Keeping everyone on organized on task can be daunting. Here are some ideas for setting up smart homework spaces designed for back-to-school success.

Homework Stations
Homework is best done at a desk or table. We have a pinterest board with loads of clever ideas for homework stations in the living room, bedroom, even closet nooks. As much as kids enjoy having their own office getaway, often they need to be supervised and assisted. Setting them up in the kitchen while you prepare dinner or clean up afterwards allows you to help with homework while you do your evening chores. This kitchen in Northbrook has two places available, one at the small desk near the kitchen island, and the other at the banquette.

Here are some clever leaning desks from Land of Nod that will grow with your child. In the first image, the desks are leaned against a large chalkboard for small children. In the next image, the same desks are leaned against cork board for more serious studies. These scaled-down versions of Crate and Barrel’s Sloane furniture collection accommodate a younger child’s size perfectly and get them used to the idea of working at a desk. Very smart!

Smart Storage
Having plenty of extra school supplies on hand will help eliminate rushed trips to the store. Containers of all shapes and sizes are available to keep your supplies in order, like the Smart Store System from The Container Store. Another smart idea is letting kids pick out desk accessories that reflect their personalities. These desktop treasures can help kids feel more personally connected to their homework spaces as well as keep them organized.

Smart Organization
Keeping backpacks and books organized and ready to grab in the morning will cut down on lost homework headaches. A hall tree with enough cubbies to assign everyone a bin is a smart solution. As soon as homework is finished, the cubbies can be loaded up for next morning.